The Unlikeliest Pair
by poeticgrace
Summary: When one finds their former love married and the other finds themself thousands of miles away, two enemies fall in love to form the unlikeliest pair. AU JE
1. Chapter 1

"Steven married a stripper."

"What?" Eric Foreman asked, twirling the long cord around his slim finger. He looked around the dingy room. A few rays of afternoon sun had managed to make their way through the dirty cracked glass, making everything around him appear to be a slightly lighter shade of gray than usual. Under his feet, the dusty dirt floor scuffed his old tennis shoes.

"He married a whore, Eric," Jackie Burkhart cried into her end of the receiver. Curled in a ball on Fez's couch, she held the red plastic mouthpiece next to her beautiful face. "Look, I'm sorry to call. I just didn't know who else to talk to. Donna is always busy, Michael is gone, and all Fez wants to discuss are "his needs."

"Start at the beginning," he told her patiently. As he listened to the story unfold, he thought about the petite brunette thousands of miles away in Point Place, completely alone. He felt an unfamiliar twinge of something pulse through his veins as she picked apart Samantha's appearance.

Suddenly, Jackie became quiet and began to cry softly into the phone. "I just can't believe I wasted all that time on him. I really thought that he was the one, that I would be enough to make him want to change. I thought he loved me."

Eric winced at her tears. "He did love you, Jackie, he just didn't love you in the way that you deserve."

"Eric, that's the nicest thing you have ever said to me," Jackie replied tenderly.

"Well, don't get used to it," he joked. "Honestly, you're better off without him. You've made the wrong decisions in the past when it comes to men, and we both know it. Kelso cheated on you all the time, and Hyde didn't treat you very well."

"But I loved them both," she admitted. "You're right, but who is going to want me now?"

"Jackie, you're beautiful."

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Come on, you know that."

"Yeah, I know that. I just didn't realize that you knew that," Jackie replied. "Thanks, Eric, I am really starting to feel a little bit better. You know, you're a lot nicer in Africa."

"You're a lot easier to handle when I'm in Africa," he teased. "We've never really talked like this. You know, without fighting. Maybe you're not the Devil."

"You're still a skinny geek."

"And you're still a short, loud cheerleader."

Eric relaxed against the wall as he sunk to the ground. He listened to her now-chipper voice go on about what was going on back home. Suddenly, he felt lonely and yearned for home. Even through the countless conversations with his mother and Donna, he had never felt this way. Sure, he had missed them, but he had never really wanted to back. Before now.

On the other side of the world, Jackie snuggled beneath the purple blanket she had spread across her little frame. Eric started to tell her about some of the children in his village and about the safari he had gone on over the weekend. It was nice to escape from the sameness of Point Place for the first time in far too long. Listening to Eric, she forgot about everything in her life and only focused on the conversation that was going on between them.

"You're quiet," he said suddenly.

"I was just listening to you talk. You know, you have a nice voice. It's very soothing," she replied.

"Um, wow, thanks," he stammered.

"Don't try to sound so shocked, Eric. I am nice sometimes."

They both laughed and talked for another 20 minutes. Finally, Eric checked his wristwatch and realized that he had a class in a matter of minutes. "I'm sorry, but I have to go," he told her. "I have to go teach."

"Oh, ok," she said, clearly disappointed.

"I will call you tomorrow to check in," he retorted quickly. The comment shocked even him, he couldn't believe that he was making concrete plans to call his arch nemesis.

"That would be nice."

"Bye, Jackie."

"Bye, Eric," she said, placing the receiver back into the cradle. Lying back against the pillows, she looked up at the ceiling and let her mind wander. Mere seconds had passed since he had spoken his last words to her, and already, Jackie felt lonely once again. She couldn't believe that she was feeling this way, that Eric had touched something inside of her that she thought was untouchable. No one, not even Michael or Steven, had hit this nerve, and it shook her to her very core.

Similar thoughts plagued Eric as he hung the phone up in the dim hut. Slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder, he headed toward the classroom. On the rocky path that ran between the buildings, he thought about what had just transpired. He'd just had the best conversation of his life, and it was with Jackie. Just the thought of having a decent conversation with her really surprised him, but the fact that it had gone so well was enough to blow his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Jackie awoke to a sunny sky outside. As she combed her hair back into a loose ponytail, she noticed the wide smile that was playing across her face. It was a new day, and it really felt like a new start for her. The Jackie that she was at this time yesterday was gone, and she had been brought back to life.

"Jackie, would you like some yogurt for breakfast?" Fez called from the kitchen.

She padded out of the bedroom and into the open living room. "I think I will make pancakes, actually. Would you like some?" she asked him through the opening between the two rooms.

"You're going to cook?" She nodded in response. "Sure, I love pancakes. Especially the syrup, it's like candy."

Jackie laughed cheerfully and went to work mixing the batter in the small kitchen. Fez propped himself up on a stool and watched as she artfully sifted the flour into a big mixing bowl. The telephone rang suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled throughout the apartment. Fez reached across the counter and answered it while Jackie retrieved eggs from the refrigerator.

"Eric! How are you?" Fez said excitedly. Jackie looked up, trying not to let the excitement she felt bubbling inside show in her face. "Oh, sure, she's right here."

Her roommate looked confused as he handed the receiver to her. "Hey."

"Hey," he said simply, relieved to finally hear her voice again.

"Are you going to have to abandon me again?" she asked lightly, a slight teasing tone in her voice.

"Again?" Fez mouthed to her. Jackie turned around, giving herself as much privacy as she could manage in the cramped quarters.

"No, I promise I won't," he sighed. "No classes today, just hanging out. Thinking. What are you doing?"

"I'm cooking, believe it or not. Making pancakes."

"Mmm, pancakes," he mused. "I miss real food. I can't believe you're cooking."

"Haha," she said sarcastically. "So, what are you thinking about?"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"I promise."

"I was thinking about you. I really had a good time talking to you last night. You filled this void that has really consumed me lately," he confessed.

"I know what you mean," she whispered. "Is it weird that I miss you all of a sudden?"

"Yeah, it's weird, but it's nice."

"Look, I'm going to feed Fez and pay him to get out of here. Can you call me back in an hour when I have some privacy? I really want to talk to you some more when I don't have an audience," she pleaded softly.

Eric smiled. "I can do that. I'll talk to you in an hour."

"Counting the minutes," she sighed as she listened to him disconnect. Hanging up the phone, she silently turned back to the task at hand. Fez looked at her with a raised eyebrow, but she said nothing. Minutes later, she laid a plate of fluffy flapjacks in front of him, but still didn't say a word.

"What's going on, Jackie?" Fez asked.

"Nothing, just doing the dishes."

"Why is Eric calling you? You don't even like each other."

"Things change, Fez."

"Overnight?"

"Sometimes," she answered. "Do you have plans for today?"

He nodded. "I'm taking a girl I met at the salon to the movies. In fact, I should probably get out of here. She's hot, so maybe I can get a little action. Don't wait up."

"Fez, it's not even noon."

"I said, don't wait up. Now, good day."

"Whatever," she relented carelessly as he whisked past her and out the front door. Jackie hurriedly cleaned up the rest of the kitchen before throwing herself on her bed. She pulled her simple black telephone next to her pillow and closed her eyes to wait. The next thing she knew, she was waking herself out of a nap to answer the phone.

"Hello?" she answered huskily, her bedroom voice in full effect.

"Did I wake you?" he asked, the tone of her voice stirring an attraction inside.

For nearly three hours, they talked. Eric knew that his telephone bill would be ridiculous, but he didn't care. As long as he heard her voice on the other end of the line, it was like only they existed. Nothing else mattered except his words to her and her words to him.

"Is it wrong that I wish you were here?" she sighed.

"Is it wrong that I wish I was, too?"

"What's going on with us, Eric?"

"I don't know, J."

"J?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know, it just popped out."

"I like it," she giggled.


	3. Chapter 3

For the next week, Jackie and Eric spoke every day. And when they weren't talking, they were counting the minutes until they would next be wrapped up in their own little worlds. She didn't mention their conversations to anyone, and Eric didn't say anything when he called his parents for the weekly update. Kitty didn't mention anything either, only a brief reference to Donna, who Eric had spoken to since they broke up months ago.

Jackie hadn't been around the Foreman household much lately, and her friends were starting to notice. Other than Fez, no one had really seen or talked to her since the daily conversations had begun. Hyde and Donna believed that she was just trying to avoid the whole marriage thing, but really, she had put the entire fiasco behind him. Finally, after a week without seeing her, Donna decided to drive across town to surprise her best friend with a shopping trip.

"Hold on, Eric, someone's here," she told him, exasperated as she peeled herself off the couch to answer the front door. Tucking the receiver under her chin, she pulled the door open. "Donna."

"Oh, God," Eric breathed into the phone.

"Hey, get off the phone. I'm taking you shopping."

"I don't really feel up to it," she said truthfully. "Besides, this call is very important. I've been waiting for it all day."

Donna looked at her suspiciously. On the other end of the call, Eric remained silent but smiled like a fool at her words. "I haven't seen you all week. What's up? Are you avoiding the basement?"

"No, I've just had a lot going on," Jackie insisted. "We can go next week."

"You're blowing off a chance to go shopping?" she exclaimed. "I'll even try on clothes and let you criticize me. You need to get out of here."

"Get rid of her," Eric grunted. His voice, now suddenly deep, really got her attention.

"Next week, I promise. Now, I really have to get back to my call," she said told her friend, ushering her toward the door. Once the heavy mahogany separated them once again, she collapsed on the couch in a fit of laughter. "My goodness."

"The lumberjack was persistent, eh?" he drawled. Jackie laughed at his reference to her affectionate nickname for Donna. "You could have gone, you know."

"I didn't want to go," she declared. "I'd rather be here with you."

"Well, Ms. Burkhart, do you like me?"

"Shut up."

"Do you, do you, do you?"

"Shut up," she repeated.

"I'd rather be with you, too, J."


	4. Chapter 4

The next afternoon, Jackie found herself alone in the park, lying on her back in the cool green grass. Above her head, clouds danced across the bright blue sky. She had decided to devote some serious time to thinking about her situation with Eric after last night's conversation. Everything felt so fast to her now, like it was all happening far too quickly. It scared her just how right it all felt, despite the unnatural element to their relationship.

"Hey, Jackie," she heard a voice call.

Closing her eyes and then opening them again, she forced herself to sit up. "Hey, Donna."

"What was going on with you last night? You had me really worried."

"I told you, I just really needed to take that call."

"Was it a guy? Are you seeing someone?"

"Yes, it was a guy, and no, I'm not seeing him," Jackie admitted, slightly crushed at the last thought. "I've just needed someone to talk to lately, and he's been there. With Steven marrying the stripper and Michael leaving, I've just been lost. He helped me find myself again."

"Who are you talking to? Why are you being so secretive?"

"No reason," Jackie lied knowingly, quite aware that the repercussions of her secret conversations with Eric could impact their tight group.

"Fine, well, I have to go meet Randy at the Hub. Wanna come?"

Jackie shook her head. "No, but I will catch up with you later," she promised with a quick wave.

Thousands of miles away, on an unusually cool evening, Eric was lying on his back outside his hut. He watched the clouds pass by overhead, trying to make shapes out of the white masses that so easily strolled through the purple sky.

"Foreman, telephone!" one of his fellow instructors called.

Eric was ecstatic as he scrambled to his feet. Expecting it to be Jackie on the other end of the line, he was disappointed when he heard his mother's voice. "Hey, sweetheart."

"Oh, hi, Mom. What's up?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I mailed you a package this morning. Lots of goodies from home," she told her son. "You sound sad, Eric. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Tell your mother what's wrong."

Eric squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. "Nothing, really, I promise."

"Sweetheart, something has been different about you lately. Did you meet someone?"

"Sorta," he stated bluntly.

"Oh, who?" she squealed excitedly.

"You have to swear to secrecy," he insisted. Once she had, he told her what he had been hiding from the rest of the world. "Jackie."

"Jackie? But I thought you two hated each other."

"We did, but when she called me to tell me about Hyde, I don't know, something clicked," he explained. "We've been talking almost every day lately, and there's something there. It's happened so fast that it scares me. It feels like it all came at once."

"That's how it was when I met your father," she remembered aloud.

"Yeah, well, with Hyde and Donna, it's a touchy situation at best. Beside, I don't even know how she feels about me. Or how I feel about her."

"Well, with you in Africa, it doesn't really matter much. It's too far."

"Yeah, maybe," he muttered while his mother began to babble about the other things going on, including Red's latest pursuit to put his foot in someone's ass. Eric barely listened until she finally told him that she had to go make dinner. With a quick goodbye, he placed the phone back in its place and headed back outside.

On two opposite ends of the world, a boy and a girl were falling in love with each other, with only the same night sky to hold them together.


	5. Chapter 5

"J, we need to talk," Eric said somberly one afternoon.

On the other end of the line, Jackie's stomach was tied in knots. She twisted the end of the cord nervously, waiting for the ball to drop on the happy little world they had treated together. "Okay," she murmered.

"What is this?"

"What is what?"

"This, us."

"I don't know," she admitted honestly. He had voiced the very thing she had been trying to voice for weeks. "I don't know, Eric."

"Me neither."

"But, I want to try to find out," she told him.

"Me too."

The conversation went silent as both considered the weight of their confession. "You're so far away, though," she sighed.

"Not forever," he tried. Right now, he could barely make it through the day without hearing her voice. He knew that if he got in any further, he wouldn't be able to make it through the day without seeing her. "I got your package today."

"Did you like it?" she asked.

"More than you know," he replied. She had sent it last week, taking hours to meticulously pick each item she had placed in the box. It contained things that he missed from home, like root beer and peanut butter. She had managed to put in a paperback book from Star Wars and an envelope of photographs of herself. Looking around his dingy room, it suddenly seemed brighter with her image smiling back at him.

"Jackie? Are you here?" she heard Fez calling from the living room.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "I have to go, he's home."

"Okay, call me tomorrow."

"I will," she replied as she hung up the phone. Alone in her room, she allowed her mind to wonder. They would never figure things out with Eric in Africa and her stuck in Point Place. Frustrated, she felt like they were going to end up at an impasse if she didn't do something to change the situation. He couldn't come back yet, his contract wasn't up for a few more months. It seemed hopeless from where she stood.

"Jackie, we're all going to go eat at the Hub, do you want to come?"

"Sure," she grumbled as she threw her purse over her shoulder and followed him to the car.

Once at the restaurant, she found most of the old gang hanging out at their usual table. Hyde, or Steven as she called him, was sitting next to his "wife," going on and on about some random government conspiracy. Looking at him, she couldn't remember why she was ever so hung up on their marriage. She suddenly realized that she was completely over him. What she didn't see was the way that he looked back at her, indicating that he still was not.

"Hey, Jackie," Donna said as she returned to the table with Randy in toe. They sat a plate of French fries on the table, just as Fez sat down. He chewed happily on the stack of fried potatoes as Donna looked on in mock anger. "Fez!"

"Thanks, Donna."

"Jackie, do you want anything?" Hyde asked as he stood up.

She shook her head as the stripper eyed her husband and cleared her throat. "What about me, honey?"

"Oh, do you want something?"

Jackie didn't even pay attention as they started to argue. In fact, she wasn't paying attention to anything around her. It didn't seem to matter anymore, this wasn't her life. Her life was in that conversation, it was the huge part of her heart that lived in Africa. Suddenly, a realization came over her. "I have to go!"

"What?" Donna asked, surprised by her sudden outburst.

"I have to go, I have to go now," she repeated. Her friends watched as she raced out of their hangout and down the street. She didn't stop running until she hit the front door of her apartment. Fumbling with her keys as she pushed the door open with her hip, she ran to her bedroom. Throwing clothes and other necessities into the smallest suitcase she could find, she packed as quickly as she could. She jotted a note to Fez, grabbed her keys and headed downstairs to wait for the taxi she had called as soon as she arrived home.

Fifteen minutes later, she was standing in the line at the airport. Tapping her toe impatiently, she checked the schedule hanging over the ticket counter. Finally, it was her turn.

"I need a one-way ticket to Africa."


	6. Chapter 6

Fifteen hours later, Jackie peeled herself off the uncomfortable seat and waited for the other passengers to file out of the plane in front of her. With a single bag slung across her petite body, she really had no idea where she was going. She only had his address, scrawled on the back of a receipt for shampoo.

After going through customs and exiting the terminal, she managed to find an elderly man with a truck who spoke broken English. Showing him the address, Jackie skillfully negotiated a ride into remote village where Eric was stationed. Though the circumstances were not ideal, she didn't care. She was on a mission, and that end would justify whatever means were necessary.

"Here, this is my truck," the man said, pointing to a beat-up Dodge. Though the paint was mostly gone, replaced by rusty holes in the metal exterior, Jackie looked over it thoughtfully. She could tell by the man's movements that this was his baby, the love of his life.

"Thank you again for the ride," she told him.

"Why are you here? Most people do not visit from America," he inquired.

"I'm in love, and my love is here," she answered simply.

The man smiled and nodded knowingly. "That is how I ended up here. I used to live on the other side of the continent, but I fell in love with a girl from this village while visiting on a mission trip. We've been married for fifty years."

Jackie thought this over. Fifty years was a long time, more than twice her age. She wondered what her life would be like in fifty years, if she would still feel this alive and this much in love with Eric. The man looked at the girl, obviously lost in her own thoughts, and pulled the truck onto the main road that would lead them both home. Neither of them said a word, though the drive lasted nearly a half-hour. Finally, he turned off the pavement and headed down a dirt path to where the houses were. Jackie leaned against the window, struggling to see as far ahead as she could manage.

"I see the houses!" she exclaimed excitedly.

The man laughed. "Yes, those are the huts."

As they drew closer and closer to the rows of homes, Jackie's excitement quickly turned to nervousness. The man slowed the truck down to accommodate street traffic, barefoot children crossing the street with their mothers and men standing idly on the corners, talking and laughing. "It's so alive," she commented, in awe.

"The heartbeat of Africa lies in its people. These are her people," the man noted as he pulled his truck to a stop in front of a hut. It looked like all the others around it, but Jackie knew that it was his.

"Thank you for the ride," she said through the open window of the truck once she had jumped out.

"You're welcome, my dear," the man managed. "My name is Kimbo, and my home is six down. Come see me if you need anything." With that, he was gone, and Jackie found herself outside the house, peering through the window at Eric. He was on the telephone and she could hear his voice.

"Where is she? I've been calling all day, Fez. I'm really worried, she wouldn't just take off like that without telling me," Eric nearly yelled into the receiver.

Jackie watched him listen to Fez's answer on the other end of the line. Eric shook his head and covered his face. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Hold on, Fez. I have to get the door."

Smoothing her hair, she waited a few second until Eric, with a look of worry painted across his now-tanned face, opened the door. "Jackie!"

"Hi, Eric," she replied shyly.

"Oh, thank God!" he murmured as he drew her into his arms. Pulling back slightly, he looked into her deep brown eyes. He wanted to lean down and kiss her more than anything, but he didn't feel like it was the right time.

"Glad to see me?"

He only nodded as he took her bag and brought her into the hut. Jackie cocked her head and smiled at him, amazed at how much he had changed. He was more muscular now and definitely tanner, Africa had agreed with him. She reached for his hand and entangled it in hers, intricately weaving their fingers together, as she led him across the room. She picked up the receiver and said, "I'm fine."

With that, she hung up. Eric burst out laughing, amazed by her simple audacity. "You came."

"I had to see you," she told him. "I want to be happy, Eric. You're the only thing that makes me happy."

"You came to Africa. You came to Africa for me."

"For us, we need to see where this is going, and the only way we can do that is if we are together," she explained. "I was at the Hub with Donna and Steven and the rest of our friends, and I realized that I felt so lonely because you weren't there. All the things that used to matter pale in comparison to what I've found with you. And I know it's fast and that it barely makes sense, but somehow, it feels right."

This time, when he looked down at her, he knew that the time was right. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her tight to his body. Leaning down, he captured her ruby-red lips into a sweet, gentle kiss. Pressing herself further into him, she deepened the kiss until they were both breathless. "Thank you," he said.

She just smiled. "Why don't you show me around this Africa place? I've heard it's pretty amazing."

They spent the remainder of the day walking through the village. Along the way, they encountered some of Eric's students, who were excited to meet another American. They looked through the village's market, carefully selecting food to eat for their dinner. And once the sun had given way to the moon, they spent the evening cooking, talking and listening to records. They stayed up all night, confessing every emotion and secret that they had kept from each other. And when Jackie's exhaustion finally consumed her, she fell asleep in Eric's arms for the first time. Everything was perfect.

But, in the morning's light, things seemed somewhat different. She was still in his arms when she woke up, and it was only then that she realized that they were going to have to explain themselves at some point. She felt him shift beneath her as she turned to meet his gaze.

"We have to tell them, Eric."

"I know."

"They won't understand."

"How could they?"

"I don't care if they do. This is right."

"But we still have to tell them."

"Yes."

"Does anyone know?"

"Only Fez. We have to tell Steven and Donna."

"Those relationships are over, it shouldn't matter."

"It shouldn't, but we both know that it will. At one point, I thought I would marry Steven, and you almost married Donna. No matter how much we pretend that there still aren't feelings there, we both know that there are. We loved them deeply, that sort of thing just doesn't go away."

"No, but they change. And they have changed. I just want this to be okay for you. I can handle them being angry at me, but I don't want it to hurt you."

'"As long as I have you and we're honest with them, that is all I care about. I don't want to lose their friendships, but this, us, is my priority now. But I don't know how we're going to tell them if they're there and we're here. It's not exactly something I want to do over the phone."

"Well, actually, I have something to tell you," he said. "I got permission to cut my tenure here short. I wanted to come home to be with you. I'm out of here next week."

"Eric! Were you even going to tell me?" she asked.

"I wanted it to be a surprise, but it looks like you beat me to the punch," he retorted as he kissed her temple. "Anyhow, we'll tell them then. No one knows that I'm coming home except my parents."

"Okay, there's our plan."

"And until then, we have 10 days of just you and me, in Africa, where no one knows or cares about our past. We can just be us here."

Turning over to kiss him, she murmured, "That sounds nice."

"Hey, Jackie, I-" Eric began. The words became caught in his throat. It had to be too soon to tell her that he loved her, he thought to himself. He didn't want to scare her.

"Yeah?"

"I'm happy you're here."


	7. Chapter 7

"Eric!" Kitty called as she watched her son exit the airplane. She rushed forward to greet him, stopping short to inspect him. To his mother, he seemed taller and more toned. He definitely had better color.

"Hey, Mom," he said warmly as he reached out to embrace her into a hug.

Behind Kitty, Red stood proudly, watching his wife reunite with their son. "Hello, Eric."

Letting go of his mother, Eric looked his father in the eyes and shook his hand. "Hi, Dad."

Red shook his hand firmly before pulling him into a quick head. Neither man spoke a word for a moment before Red spoke up again. "Hello, Jackie."

"Hello, Mr. Foreman," she replied quietly as she stepped out from behind Eric.

Eric turned and smiled at her, reaching for her hand. "Let's go home."

After retrieving their baggage, the four headed to the car. Eric spent the entire trip home animatedly describing everything about Africa, from the people and his students to the animals and the village. Every once in awhile, Jackie would add a detail or an observation, offering up funny anecdotes about the time they spent there together. Finally, Red pulled the vehicle into the car port and killed the motor.

Eric was the first one out of the car. He looked up at the house and then around the yard. His car was still parked in its usual place. "Wow, it's exactly the same," he sighed. Nothing really looked different, but somehow, everything felt entirely new. For the first time, he realized he was coming home to a new life.

Jackie was behind him. She stood next to him, leaning her head onto his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "Welcome back, Eric."

"It's nice to be back," he said. "Mom, you didn't tell anyone, did you?"

Kitty shook her head. She had upheld her promise to Eric, keeping his relationship with Jackie only between herself and Red. The only other person who knew was Fez, and after talking to him a few days ago, Jackie had found out that he had kept their secret as well.

"No, I didn't tell them that you were coming home," she said. "But I did ask Fez where they were going to be today. They were going to spend the afternoon at the Hub."

"We should probably go see them," Jackie said as she looked up at him.

He could read the confusion and worry in her eyes. "It'll be okay," he promised as he buried his face in her dark hair. "I promise, it will all be okay."

Once they had stowed their luggage in Eric's room and talked with his parents for a few more minutes, they headed back out to the car port. Red had filled his car up as a welcome home present. He opened to door to let Jackie into the passenger seat before sliding in behind the wheel. Putting the Vista Cruiser into reverse, they headed for the hangout where they would break the news to their friends.

"I'm scared," Jackie admitted as she looked out the window.

"Me too."

She reached across the seat and took his hand in hers. "Eric, I have to tell you something."

"What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly worried by her expression.

_It's way too early, but I have to do this_, she reminded herself as she gathered the courage to make the confession. "I just have to tell you this now in case something happens and I don't ever get the chance to do it," she murmured. "I love you, Eric."

He pulled the car to a stop sign and pulled over to the shoulder. Throwing the car into park, he raced around to the other side and pulled her out of the car. Lifting her up off the ground so that she was eye level, he whispered, "I love you, too, Jackie."

Carefully, he sat her back on the ground. She pressed her forehead to his and peered into his warm eyes. "You do?"

He nodded silently and gave her a slight smile before leaning into kiss her. Cars passed by, but neither of them noticed. They were too caught up in each other to notice anything, even the car that had parked behind theirs on the shoulder.

"Eric! Jackie!" they heard a voice call. Looking up, they spotted Fez.

"Hey, man!" Eric exclaimed as they broke apart. He reached over to hug his foreign friend and clapped him on the back.

"You're back?" Fez asked.

"It was a surprise," Jackie said. "We were actually going to find you all right now."

"I'm on my way to the Hub, but I had to stop and get some candy first."

Eric raised his eyebrow and Jackie nodded as they exchanged a look. "Right, so, we'll see you there," Eric said finally.

"Uh, yeah," Fez replied awkwardly before getting back into his car. With a wave, he left the two of them alone.

"We should go," Jackie said.

The rest of the drive to the Hub was far too short. It felt like a matter of a few seconds before Eric and Jackie found themselves in the parking lot. Neither of them said anything, but the air was much more confident than it had been before. What was once a moment cloaked in fear and uncertainty was now revitalized with an air of assurance and strength as they climbed out of the Vista Cruiser.

"We can do this," she told him as he took her hand.


	8. Chapter 8

"Hi, guys," Eric said as he walked through the door. He had dropped Jackie's hand outside the café reluctantly, understanding the importance of breaking them into the situation slowly.

Jackie came in just behind him and smiled at their friends. "Hey, everyone."

"Eric!" Hyde and Donna said in unison, surprised at his appearance. Randy and Sam remained seated as they rushed to meet their friend. Donna gave him an awkward hug, and Hyde punched him on the shoulder.

"Are you back for good?" Hyde asked.

"When did you get here?" Donna asked.

"Was Jackie with you?" Hyde asked.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming home?" Donna inquired.

One by one, Eric patiently answered their questions. Once in awhile, he would catch Jackie's eye and smile to remind her that they were in this together. Eventually, he managed to guide the group back to the table and sit down.

"I am home for good, at least for the foreseeable future. I would like to go back to visit though," he began. "I got back a few hours ago, my parents picked me up at the airport. No one knew that I was coming home except them, I wanted to surprise you all."

Fez finally joined his friends, carrying a bag of candy in his left hand. "Hi, guys."

"Look, man, Eric's back," Hyde said.

"I know, I already saw them earlier."

"Them?"

"Um, he and Mr. Red and Ms. Kitty," Fez lied.

"Actually, that's not true," Jackie spoke up. It was the first time she had said a word since their arrival. Sitting to the left of Eric, he reached under the table and squeezed her hand. "We came together."

"Jackie, you haven't really said much," Donna realized finally. "How's your mom? Fez said you went to visit her in Mexico."

"Fez was just covering for me," she admitted. "I went to visit someone else."

"Oooh, is it the mystery man?" Donna prodded.

"What mystery man?" Hyde asked frostily.

"This guy Jackie has been spending all her time talking to," Donna explained. "She even turned down going to the mall with me because she was expecting this call."

Eric looked at her and smiled. "You gave up going to the mall?"

Jackie pushed him playfully. "Yeah, so?"

"What mystery man?" Hyde repeated, this time a little more heated.

Sam narrowed her eyes and looked at him. She detected the jealousy in his voice. "Why does it matter to you so much, honey?"

"It doesn't, I was just wondering why all the secretiveness," Hyde lied.

"Well, that's kind of why I'm here," Jackie said. "I have something to tell you."

"We have something to tell you," Eric corrected her. "Sam, Randy, Fez, could you give us a second with Hyde and Donna."

"You're that guy?" Donna shrieked.

Hyde was on his feet. Jackie flinched at his visible anger. "Steven, sit down."

"How could you do this to us?" Hyde demanded. "How could you, man? With Jackie?"

Eric looked at his best friend. "I figured that you wouldn't really care, seeing you're married and all. You had your chance to marry her, and you didn't take it. She needed someone to confide in, so she called me. We started talking, and here we are."

"Wait, so you and Jackie?" Donna asked. "You had your chance to marry me, but you didn't take that."

"Donna, I'm so sorry," Jackie began.

"Don't you even talk, don't say a word. How could you do this to me, Jackie? You were my best friend. You could have had anyone, so why did it have to be Eric?"

"It had to be Eric, Donna, because it _is_ Eric."

"Don't call this fate, Jackie," her best friend spat back.

"I cannot believe that you were like a brother to me," Hyde said.

Eric watched his friend pump his fist over and over again, hitting into the open palm of his other hand. "You're married," he said, pointing at Hyde. "You're with Randy."

"I'm with Randy because you broke up with me," she reminded him.

"What, Donna?" Randy asked.

"I didn't mean it like that," she said to her boyfriend. "I'm just upset."

"Yeah, right," he replied. "I'm outta here."

"Great, look what you did!" she screamed at Jackie.

"And I'm only married to Sam because I got drunk and made a mistake," Hyde retorted. "You knew that I was going to marry Jackie until I caught her with Kelso."

"I'm a mistake?" Sam asked, which Hyde ignored. She stomped out of the restaurant behind Randy but no one really noticed.

"You know what, Steven, I am so tired of your excuses. And Donna, you moved on," Jackie stated calmly. "I'm sorry that you're both hurt, and I'm sorry that we kept the truth from you. But I will not stand here and apologize for going to Eric. He was there when I needed someone, he was the only one who noticed that I was falling apart."

"Well, you've officially done it, Jackie. You've been with all of us," Hyde said. "The things they used to say about you in high school have finally come true. You've officially become the slut of Point Place.

Jackie willed herself not to cry as she bit her bottom lip. Eric caught sight of his trembling girlfriend as anger tore through him. "Hyde, shut up."

"What, Eric, you know it's true!" Donna yelled.

Eric and Hyde took a step toward each other. Jackie knew that punches were about to be thrown and something ugly was going to go down. She also knew Eric, and she knew that he would regret it later. "Eric!" she called, but he couldn't hear her in his fit of rage. "Eric, stop!" she repeated. Walking around Donna, she stepped between the two men. With her back to Hyde, she placed her hands on both sides of Eric's face and lowered his eyes to hers. "He's not worth it, baby," she whispered. "Take me home."

"He called you a slut."

"Do you think I'm a slut?" Eric shook his head. "Then, it doesn't matter. Come on, let's go home. We're happy, don't let this take that away."

Eric refocused his gaze on her and finally understood what she was telling him. "Oh, God," he mumbled. "I'm so sorry, J."

"It doesn't matter," she reassured him as she took his hand. Neither of them looked back as they left the restaurant hand in hand, leaving a crying Donna and a steaming Hyde in their wake.


	9. Chapter 9

Hours later, Jackie and Eric sat alone on the couch in the basement. His arm slung across the back of the couch behind her, they sat watching a return of "Charlie's Angels" in silence. It was a comfortable kind of quietness, one that had taken Jackie months to get used to when she dated Hyde. In that moment, she knew that what she had with Eric went beyond anything that had become before it. Despite everything, it was an easy relationship. He didn't hurt her, put her down, cheat on her or act like he didn't care about her. Instead, he told her how much he cared every chance he got, he showed her affection, and he made it a point to make sure that she was happy.

"Hey," she whispered, nudging him.

"Hmm?" he asked sleepily, his eyes drooping from jet lag.

"I'm tired. You're tired. I should probably get going."

"No, please, stay," he begged. The thought of not spending the night with her was too much after the day they had. Despite the fact that they had only slept together in the most literal sense, Eric had already grown accustomed to having her in his arms.

"Your parents would kill us," she replied.

"I don't care. Just please say you'll stay."

She smiled coyly and laid her head on his shoulder. "Okay."

Just then, Hyde came bursting in the door with Fez, Randy and Donna behind him. As soon as she saw him, Jackie knew that he had been drinking. Looking at their friends, he realized that they all had been drinking.

"Great, you're here," Hyde spat sarcastically.

"Um, it is his house, Steven," Jackie stated evenly.

"Whatever, man, we're gonna get in the circle."

"Uh, no, thanks. I'm not really in the mood," Eric said. He hadn't smoked since he went to Africa, and truth be told, he didn't really miss it.

"Yeah, me neither," Jackie retorted.

"Look at Mr. and Mrs. Goody," Donna scoffed.

"Yeah, look at 'em," Fez mimicked.

"Whatever," Jackie muttered. "Steven, have you been drinking too?"

Eric and Jackie watched as the scruffy man stumbled around the room. Eric tried to reach out to steady his friend, but Hyde jerked his arm away. Finally, he collapsed into his usual chair. Eric protectively put his arm around Jackie as they sank back into the couch. Donna sat on the floor in front of Randy, his arms wrapped around her neck. Fez was lying on the floor, repeating something about candy.

"Jackie, can I talk to you?" Hyde said, jumping to his feet suddenly.

Jackie looked at Eric and searched his eyes for permission. He nodded slightly, indicating that it was okay with him. "Sure."

Hyde led her out of the basement and up the stairs to the driveway. "Jacks, I'm sorry for calling you a slut earlier," he said as he sauntered closer to her. She could smell the clear stench of alcohol on his breath. "I just can't believe that you would cheat on me with him."

"I'm not cheating on you," she reminded him. "Steven, you're married. You got drunk, just like you are right now, and married a stripper. You broke my heart."

"I don't love her," he admitted. "I love you."

Jackie looked at him sadly and shook her head. "It's too late."

Back in the basement, Donna looked over at her ex-boyfriend. Maybe it was time that they make amends. Leaning over, she whispered to Randy that she was going to try to talk to Eric. He smiled in a sign of support. "Eric, maybe we should talk."

"Uh, sure, Donna. We can go to the kitchen."

Leaving Fez and Randy alone in the basement, Donna and Eric headed up to the very kitchen where they had spent countless hours together. "So, what's up?" Eric asked awkwardly.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. You just really surprised me," she said.

"I think you should apologize to Jackie. You said some really horrible things."

"She was supposed to be my best friend, what do you expect? I can't be happy for her."

"She didn't betray you, Donna. We were over, and you have clearly moved on."

"Don't you defend her, Eric."

"Donna, I love her," he said calmly. "I'm sorry if that hurts you, but it's the truth. I want to be with her, I'm going to be with her." Eric walked over to the patio door and watched Hyde talk to Jackie in the driveway. She looked upset but appeared to be holding her own ground. He smiled with pride.

"Why her, Eric?"

"It's like she said earlier. It's her because it had to be her," he said as he continued to watch Jackie. He could see her becoming more upset and Hyde stepped closer to her. Sliding the door open, he left Donna alone in the kitchen.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Jackie called. "He's just drunk."

"Come on, man, let's get some coffee in you."

"I love her, Eric. Just so you know, I'm not giving her up without a fight."

"Steven, stop," she said, turning away from Eric to give them some privacy. "It's over, it's been over. It's so over. Be with your wife, love your wife. Give her half of what Eric has given me."

"What about what I've given you?"

"It wasn't enough, Steven. It was never enough," she said. "I wasn't enough for you, and you weren't enough for me. Eric and I, we're enough. Let your wife be enough for you."

"Was I enough?" Donna whispered into Eric's ear as he joined them in the driveway.

"You were more than enough, Donna. In the end, we just weren't enough together."

Donna turned away, wiping the stray tears with the back of her palm. She looked back at the Foremans' house and then at Eric. "I gotta go."

Eric didn't say anything as she rushed past Hyde and Jackie. A few steps behind her, he reached for Jackie's hand. "C'mon, J."

"Good night, Steven," she said as she took Eric's hand.

Hyde waited for her to glance over her shoulder like she always did, like she needed one last look to hold her over until she saw him again. As they slipped in the house together, Jackie didn't look back at all. Instead, she put her arm around Eric's waist and disappeared out of his sight. He waited for a moment until the light flipped on in his bedroom upstairs. Watching their shadows embrace each other behind the plaid curtain, he realized that it really was over.


	10. Chapter 10

"So, do we need to talk about last night?" Eric asked Jackie the next morning as he buttoned up his shirt.

Looking at him, Jackie was certain that he didn't mean sex. They still hadn't slept together, despite everything that had happened between them. She was ready, but the timing had always been off. She shook her head to clear her thoughts about that particular subjects; she had time to worry about that later. For now, she needed to focus on the topic at hand – Donna and Steven.

"I think we might have finally gotten through to them," she said. "I just don't know where we are going to go next. I'm not sure that Donna is going to be able to forgive me, and it's not like Steven and I can just go back to being friends. I mean, we weren't ever really friends before we started dating."

"Yeah, I remember," he laughed. "We used to call you 'the devil.' Man, I hated you. I certainly never thought that I would be here, madly in love with you."

"Oh, don't think you were the only one who never would have believed this," she replied. "I just thought you were skinny, pale and studious. I didn't know what Donna saw in you. Now, I don't know how I could have missed it."

Eric leaned down and kissed her briefly. "Donna and I were friends, but I don't know if we can go back. There is so much history between us. I think that Hyde will forgive me eventually, I mean, he forgave Kelso."

"Eric, honey, breakfast is ready!" Kitty called from the kitchen.

Panic shook Eric. For the first time, he realized that Jackie had spent the night, and they were going to have to try to figure out a way to deal with his parents.

"What should I do?" she cried in a whisper.

"I'm an adult, and you are my girlfriend. My parents will just have to accept that you may be staying here from time to time," he told her in such a confident tone that even he almost believed it.

Jackie, however, did not and scoffed aloud. "Yeah, right, Eric. My guess is that we are going to go down there, your mom will laugh nervously and your dad will call one or both of us a 'dumbass.' And maybe make the boot threat."

"You're probably right, but what choice do we have?"

Jackie shrugged and headed down the stairs. Eric followed her into the sunny kitchen and slipped into his usual chair. "Morning, Mom."

"Good morning, Eric," she said. "Oh, and good morning, Jackie." Kitty burst into a fit of nervous laughter.

"Did she stay here last night, Dumbass?" Red asked without even looking from his paper.

"Yeah," Eric said shortly.

"She better not end up pregnant, or I will put a boot up your ass."

"Red," Kitty warned.

"Other than that, I have nothing else to say. Good morning, Jackie."

Jackie looked at the man in shock. Over the years, Red and Kitty had become like second parents for their group of friends. There was a sudden softness to the older man's face, like he had a soft spot in his heart for her. Jackie smiled at him and returned the grin. Eric caught it but let it go without a word.

"So, what are your plans for your first day in Point Place?" Kitty asked.

"Probably just hang out," Eric muttered, chewing on his mother's signature fluffy pancakes.

"We're going to talk to Donna and Hyde," Jackie replied.

"You called him Hyde," Eric realized.

She smiled. "Everything's different now."

The rest of breakfast progressed and plans were made for the remainder of their day. As they bounced out of the kitchen, Red and Kitty were left to watch after their son and his new love. Kitty smiled at Red and cleared off the table.

"Kitty, Jackie was right. Everything is different now."

"Yes, well, it appears that maybe Eric has finally grown up."

"She's the one, Kitty. He's going to marry Jackie."

"Well, Red Foreman, are you getting sentimental on me?"

Red smiled the slight grin he reserved for only his wife. He only allowed her to see this part of him, the part that was secretly crazy about his family. Watching Eric and Jackie over breakfast, he knew that Jackie was a part of that family now. "He looks at her the way I still look at you."


	11. Chapter 11

Later that afternoon, Eric was alone in the driveway, aimlessly bouncing the basketball against the pavement and taking the occasional shot. Jackie had left awhile ago to try to attempt to repair her friendship with Donna. He was confident that his bubbly girlfriend would be able to get through to her best friend. If anyone could break down your resolve, it was Jackie.

"Hey, Foreman," Hyde said softly as he came up the drive.

Looking him over, Eric could tell that it had been a long night for his friend. Kitty had confided in Eric that Hyde had spent most of the night sitting in the driveway, his head in his hands. His mother had tried to coax him back into the house, but stubborn as he was, he had simply chosen to remain there. Once he had finally sobered up, Hyde had driven away in the El Camino, and no one had heard from him until now.

"Hyde," Eric replied shortly.

"Man, I should apologize for last night. We had way too much to drink, and I guess everything kind of bubbled over."

"You could say that."

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"It's funny, I think that we only ever really get to hear how you feel when you're drunk," Eric remarked. "You said you loved her. I know that's still true."

Hyde shuffled his feet and looked down at his scuffed black boots, trying to avoid his friend's gaze. "I do."

"I want to have our friendship back more than anything, but I will keep on fighting for Jackie," he said. "You should know that. I'm not going to let you take her away from me."

"I'm going to try because I have to, man, I hope you understand that. I love her, and I have to fight for her. I didn't do it enough with Kelso, so I have to this time."

"I understand."

"Not that it really matters."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It doesn't matter how much I fight you, Foreman. She's not going back to me," Hyde smiled sadly. "She's in love with you."

Next door, Jackie swung her feet nervously over the edge of Donna's bed. "Donna, we need to talk about last night. We need to talk about this whole mess."

"Jackie, I never really had girl friends before you. I always had Eric and Hyde and Kelso, and I didn't really see the point in bringing another female into the group," Donna replied. She didn't look up from the stack of records she was organizing. She needed to keep herself busy if she wanted to maintain her courage. "And then you started dating Kelso, and we didn't really have a choice. Eventually, you found your place in the group, and you became my best friend. Other than Eric, that is."

"Donna, I'm still you're best friend."

"Seeing you with Eric, it's like you two don't need me anymore," Donna continued. "The man that I loved most in the world and the girl I trusted most are together now, and I'm left with nothing."

"That's not true," Jackie retorted. "You have us both, we are still your best friends"

"Jackie, you two have each other. You're so close to each other now, and that's only going to continue. I've seen how Eric looks at you, I've been on the receiving end of those looks. You guys don't need me anymore."

Jackie's eyes shone with tears. "Donna, I will always need you. We both do. Just because Eric and I are in love does not mean that we still don't need your friendship. You gave me a home when I had no one else in the world. You've been my confidant and my roommate and my nemesis. You've been the closest thing to a sister I will ever have."

"Jackie, I just don't want to lose either one of you to this relationship," Donna quivered. Her eyes were now glassy with tears as well.

"You won't," Jackie promised as she rushed over to hug her friend. "I promise you."

"I really hope that you mean that."

"Are you going to be able to forgive us?"

"It was never really about forgiveness, Jackie," Donna admitted. "I just needed to know that I was still needed, I guess. I needed to know that I still had my place."

Jackie and Donna hugged again and started to talk about everything. Promises were made and friendships were renewed between the girls during the course of the next hour. While they had been able to easily repair an only slightly broken bound, both were aware that it would be much harder to do with their male counterparts. Not only was the friendship between Eric and Hyde severed, there was also the question of Eric and Donna's relationship as well as Hyde and Jackie's. Jackie was confident that Eric and Donna would reach an understanding, they had far too much history. She hoped that the same theorem would apply to the boys' friendship; however, she had little confidence in her friendship with Hyde.

"Donna, can I ask you for one favor?"

"You can try."

"Forgive Eric. Talk to him about it, tell him what you told me," she begged. "I don't think that Hyde and I will ever be able to be friends, but I want you and Eric to be in each other's lives. I want the guys to be able to be friends."

"Eric and I will be fine," Donna promised. "There's too much between us for it to not be. I know that it seems unlikely right now, but I think the same might be true for you and Hyde."

"I don't know."

"Do me a favor, Jackie. Just give him a chance."

"If you are going to work things out with Eric, then I guess I can try to figure out what it is between Hyde and me."

"You're calling him Hyde now?"

"I just think that it lends itself better to friendship," Jackie explained. "Steven was my boyfriend, and now, I need Hyde to be my friend."

Donna looked out the window, spotting Hyde sitting on his El Camino below. "Well, there's no time like the present."

Jackie told her friend goodbye and headed down to the Foremans' garage. Hyde was sitting on the hood of his beloved car, his legs splayed out and his head turned toward the sky. An open bottle of beer rested beside him as Zeppelin poured from the car's speakers.

"Hyde."

"Jackie."

"We should talk," she tried.

"Yeah, probably," he replied as he dropped his head to look at her for the first time. _Damn, she's beautiful_, he thought to himself as he took a long swig of his beer. "Have a seat."

Jackie perched herself on the hood of the car next to him. "Look, I just want to apologize one last time for everything. I really am sorry that I hurt you."

He looked at her thoughtfully. "I know you are."

"But, with that said, I'm done apologizing. I can't apologize for this anymore, I won't. I really want you in my life, Hyde, and I hope that you can find a way to make that possible."

"I'm trying to figure out a way," he said.

"I really hope you mean that. And not just for me, but for Eric, too."

"I'm gonna try my damnedest," he vowed. "I already lost you once, I don't want to not have you in my life again."

"Oh, Steven!" she cried automatically. Slipping into using his first name wasn't a big deal to her, but it signaled something to Hyde. She reached over and hugged him in a friendly way, but he took it as much more.

"Oh, Jacks," he murmured as he embraced her. Pulling back slightly, he began to kiss her. She tried to pull back, but he was caught up in the moment and his grip was too strong. He mistook her grunts of frustration for groans of pleasure. Neither of them noticed they were not alone.

"What the hell?"


	12. Chapter 12

"What the hell?"

Jackie pushed Hyde away finally, revealing Eric standing in front of them. She cringed when she saw the look of pain in his kind eyes. Immediately, she knew that he had the wrong impression. "Eric, I can explain."

"Save it, Jackie."

She slid off the hood, throwing Hyde a disgusted look. Her ex-boyfriend looked away, dropping his head into his hands so that she could only see his bushy hair. "Please, just here me out."

"You don't need to say anything, I already know what happened." Eric moved past her and yanked Hyde off the hood. Jackie could tell by the look in Hyde's eyes that he was surprised by Eric's sudden strength.

"How could you force yourself on Jackie?" Eric spat. "After everything you said to me earlier, how could you do that? You know that she is in love with me, and you know that she doesn't want you. Why would you do that? Do you just want to hurt us both?"

"I told you that I was going to try," Hyde reminded him. "I love her."

"Hyde, stop," Jackie replied. "Just stop. It's getting pathetic. Do you think that your ridiculous ploy is really going to break Eric and me up? We're in this together."

"If I catch you anywhere near her again, I will kill you," Eric vowed. "I know you all think I'm weak, but it's amazing how strong love can make you. I'm not the same person you guys knew before I went to Africa. Things change and so have I."

"Whatever, man," Hyde muttered as he walked toward the driver's door.

Jackie and Eric took a step back and watched as the car sped out of the driveway. Once the car had disappeared from their sight, Eric turned to his girlfriend. "What happened?"

"I thought he understood, Eric. We were just talking, and I thought he finally got my point," Jackie explained. "Then, before I knew it, he had pushed himself on me. I didn't want him to kiss me."

Eric looked at her, tears shining in her sparkling eyes. "Don't cry, baby," he murmured as he gathered her in his arms. "I believe you."

"I just want this to be over," she mumbled as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Let's leave town again. It's just too hard to be here. There are too many memories, too many ties."

"Where would we go?"

"We could go back to Africa. We were happy there. You loved your teaching, and I was even starting to like the village. We could be happy again."

"I don't know, J. It just feels like we would be running away."

"We would be, but what's wrong with that?"

"That's the thing about running away. Things have a funny way of still catching up with you in the end."

"I hate it when you're right."

"That's the charm of being me," he mused. "So, what now?"

"I think it's time to go back to my apartment," she whispered into his ear.

"Hmm, really? For what?" he asked innocently.

"I think it's time."

He arched his eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Jackie nodded and winked cheekily. Neither of them said a word as they raced to the Vista Cruiser and headed toward her apartment. As soon as they reached her place, Jackie was out the door. She had convinced Eric to give her a few minutes to get rid of Fez before making his appearance. Throwing her keys on the table just inside the living room, she called for her roommate.

"Fez!" she screamed as she ran around the apartment. "Fez!"

"Yes?" he called from the bathroom.

Jackie could hear splashing inside from behind the door. "You have to leave."

"I'm taking my bubble bath."

"Please, you have to go now."

"This is my apartment, Jackie," he reminded her huffily.

"Please, Eric's downstairs, and we need to be alone."

"Ooh, can I watch?"

"No! That's why you have to get out of here. Please! I really want this to be special. It's our first time."

"Two weeks in Africa and still nada?"

"Yes, now, hurry up. I'll even pay for your next trip to the candy store."

"Ooh, candy!" he called. Minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom to find Jackie and Eric sitting nervously on the couch. "Have fun, Eric."

Eric shot his foreign friend a look as Jackie peeled a $20 bill from her wallet. "There, Fez, now go," she demanded, pointing toward the door. Fez skipped happily out of the apartment, humming something about sweet chocolaty goodness as he slammed the door behind him.

"Now that he's finally gone…"

"Are you sure, J?" Eric asked as she sat down next to him.

"Very," she purred. Leaning across the couch, she laid a trail of kisses down his neck. Making her way back toward his mouth, Eric captured her lips with his. Their tongues dancing in passion, his arms roamed over her body as they moved as one. Pressing herself further into him, she tugged on his shirt, indicating that she wanted it gone. Helping him lift it off, she smiled mischievously as she traced her finger down his taut chest. "Not so skinny anymore."

Eric stopped her next words with a kiss as he lifted her off the couch. Making his way toward her bedroom, he reveled in the light, feathery kisses she was placing along his collarbone. Leaning him back on the bed, she unbuttoned her shirt and knelt in front of him. "Oh, Jackie. You are so beautiful." Those were the last coherent words that either of them would speak for hours. Many cries of pleasure and entangled limbs later, they both fell back against her pillows.

"That was…"

"Yeah…" he groaned as he tucked his arm underneath her petite body. Her warm skin felt so right against his, their legs tangled beneath the sheets and her dark hair splayed against his bare chest.

"I don't think I could be any happier than I am right now."

"I could be."

"Eric," she cried softly, swatting him on the arm. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means marry me."

"What?"

"Marry me."


	13. Chapter 13

"Marry me."

His proposal rang in her ears and she shifted uncomfortably in his arms. Like everything else in their relationship up to this point, it was too fast. Her mind and her heart were at conflict over her answer.

"Eric, it's too fast."

"No, it's not," he replied. "I spent years in a relationship, so did you. I could have spent the rest of my life in that relationship and I still never would have felt for her what I feel for you."

"But it's only been a month…"

"I know that it's fast, Jackie. I know you're scared, I am too," he admitted. "But I'm even more afraid that we will let this chance pass us by. I don't want to spend another night without you in my arms."

"So maybe we should try living together," Jackie ventured.

"It's not enough. If that's all you will give me, I'll take it because I need you in my life. I still want more."

"You haven't even thought this through. It just came to you. We both need to take some time and think, I mean _really think_ about this."

"I've thought about it," he told her. "All I have done since we came home is think about it. I knew in Africa, as soon as you showed up, that I wanted to marry you. I knew the moment I first kissed you. I knew the first night I held you in my arms. I knew on the plane ride home. I knew when you chose me over Hyde. I knew last night when we made love."

Jackie's eyes glittered with tears. "Really?"

Eric crawled out from beneath her and made his way over to the bureau. Opening the top drawer, he pushed a stack of t-shirts away to reveal a small black velvet box. Walking to the edge of the bed, he dropped on one knee and flipped the box open. Jackie's hands covered her mouth at the sight of the ring. "I knew two days ago when I stopped at the jeweler while you were helping my mom with dinner. I know now. Please tell me that you know."

"I know," she nodded frantically, tears slipping down her cheek as Eric took her quivering hand. He slipped the ring onto her delicate finger as she crawled out of the bed and onto the floor with him.

"I love you," she gushed as she pressed her forehead to his.

Eric leaned in and kissed her briefly. "I love you, too," he murmured, leaning into to kiss her more deeply this time. Pulling her on to the bed, he set out to prove to her just how much…

Two hours later, Jackie's eyes fluttered open. Their morning session had left her tired, and she had easily drifted to sleep atop Eric's chest. She listened to his shallow breath, taking in everything around her. The rise of his chest, the smell of her on his skin, the sunshine coming in through the window. She held her finger toward the sunlight, watching happily as the glare from the diamond danced across the ceiling.

"Hey."

"Hey," she replied as she snuggled into him. Eric took her hand and held it again.

"Can you believe it?" he asked. She shook her head. "Neither can I."

"We're going to have a lot of questions to answer," she remarked. From Hyde and Donna to Red and Kitty, she knew that everyone was going to weigh in on the situation. She hoped that they would be able to muster at least a little support, though she really didn't care if anyone approved. The only approval she needed anymore was Eric's, and judging by the goofy look on Eric's face, she had it.

"Who should we tell first?"

"Your parents. Kitty would kill you otherwise."

"Red is going to kill me either way," Eric mused with a laugh. Unlike when he was engaged to Donna, he didn't care what his parents thought. He loved Jackie, and that was enough for him. "When?"

"We'll make dinner for them tonight," she said. "Well, I'll make dinner and you'll keep me company. We'll tell them then."

With that in mind, Eric phoned his parents to tell them of their plans. Meanwhile, Jackie pulled out a pink notepad and started to make a list of things they needed from the market. Heading toward the kitchen, she even managed to produce a sales ad from the local grocery store.

"Jackie Burkhart is bargain shopping?" Eric teased as he came up behind her.

"We better start saving now because you know me, I want a big wedding," she taunted back. It was true that, once upon a time, she would have demanded a fairytale wedding. Now, however, she wanted a small ceremony. She didn't need the fairytale wedding, she already had her prince. "Get dressed, we have groceries to buy."

After the list was finished and showers were had, they quickly completed their shopping and headed over to the Foremans. Between the proposal and everything that had come after it, it was already late in the afternoon by the time they arrived inside the kitchen. Jackie ordered Kitty out of the room, posting Eric near the door to make sure that his mother adhered to Jackie's demands. Red was out in the garage, he could care less so as long as dinner was on the table promptly at 6:00.

"Peel," Jackie instructed, handing Eric a small sack of potatoes and a large mixing bowl. He grabbed the peeler from the drawer while she washed and tore the lettuce for the salad. Her menu was simple and All-American, just as Kitty would prepare. Anything too exotic only drew criticism from Red, who was basically against anything foreign. Steak, mashed potatoes, salad and rolls were on par for the evening. She had wanted to make chicken, but Eric insisted that Red would need his protein to make his usual threats.

Exactly 45 minutes later, Jackie removed the last steak from the grill and sat the platter in the middle of the kitchen table. Looking it over, the meal looked perfect. Eric went to call his parents to dinner while she straightened herself. Eric held out the chair for Kitty, who smile gratefully as she slipped behind the table. Even Red seemed impressed by Jackie's work.

"This looks great, Jackie," Red commented as he spread his napkin in his lap.

"Thank you, Mr. Foreman."

"Please, Red."

Eric smiled widely at Jackie. "Okay, thank you, Red."

Serving his mother, Eric and Red started to talk about the upcoming football season. Kitty turned to Jackie to discuss the seasoning she had used on the meat. The meal progressed in the most comfortable manner possible.

"This is amazing, J," Eric complimented, savoring each bite of the meat.

"Yes, it is very good, sweetie," Kitty echoed.

Once dinner had been fully consumed, Jackie scrambled to her feet to retrieve the cheesecake from the fridge. Placing his hand on her arm, Eric stopped her. Though they had planned to wait until after dessert to break the news, the meal had went better than he had expected. He felt confident that the timing was right as circumstances couldn't get much better than they currently were.

"Mom, Dad, we have something we need to tell you."

"She's pregnant!" Kitty exclaimed. A dark look flashed across Red's face.

"God, no!" Jackie nearly screamed. Eric looked at her sharply, slightly off put that she was so appalled by the idea. "We're so not ready for that yet."

The last word set his mind at ease. "Actually, we're getting married."

"You're what?" his mother said.

Red remained quiet. "Did you hear me, Dad?"

"I think it's great, Eric."

"You do?" Eric asked, shocked. Red nodded. "But you were so against my engagement to Donna."

"Because I knew that it wouldn't last, Eric. This time is different, I can just feel it."

Kitty smiled at her husband affectionately, glad that someone else was finally getting to see his softer side.

"So, wait, you're not going to threaten me or call me names?" Eric stuttered.

"Don't be a dumbass, Dumbass. Going to Africa was the first smart thing you ever did, marrying Jackie would be the second."

"Thank you, Red," Jackie replied softly.

"You're good for my son, and I think you will be good for this family," Red said, rising to his feet. He caught everyone offguard when he gathered his future daughter-in-law in his arms and hugged her.

With her dad in prison and her mother off galavanting, Jackie hadn't really felt like she had her parents in years. There, in Red's arms, she felt like she finally had a family again. Kitty was the next to hug her. The two women pulled apart and watched as Red shook Eric's hand firmly.

"I'm very proud of you, Eric."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Now where's my cheesecake?"


	14. Chapter 14

"Donna, can I come over? I have something to tell you," Eric said over the phone, standing in the kitchen. It was the next day, and he and Jackie had vowed to break the news to their old flames before the sun set on Point Place.

"Can it wait until later?" she asked nonchalantly. "Randy and I sorta had plans to hang out later."

"Actually, no, it's really important. You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't."

On the other end of the line, Donna glanced at her watch. "Okay, sure, come over."

Meanwhile, in the basement, Jackie came sauntering in. Fez was sprawled out on the couch while Hyde lounged in his usual chair. Jackie looked pointedly at Fez, hoping that he would get the clue and leave. When he didn't, she flat out asked. "Fez, can you give me and Steven a minute?"

"Why, Jackie?" Hyde asked without looking up from the television.

Fez looked at Hyde and then Jackie. He understood the urgency of her pleading look and headed upstairs without another word. Jackie didn't look at Hyde as she sat down on the couch. She crossed her tanned legs and admired her red heels for a moment, trying to muster the confidence to admit the truth.

"Steven, we need to talk. I have some news, and it may be hard for you to take."

"Just spit it out, Jacks. Nothing is going to be hard for me to take after you finally told me about your little affair with Eric," he smirked. "Unless you're getting married."

Her breath caught suddenly in her throat. "Actually…"

"You're getting married?" he spat.

Next door, Eric stood nervously in Donna's living room until she returned with a glass of iced water. He gulped down the water in a single swallow before sitting down. "So, um, how are you?"

"Eric, why are you here?" she asked impatiently.

"This isn't easy for me to say, and you're not going to like it."

"Look, if it's about Jackie, I'm cool with it."

"Well, you might change your mind when you hear what I have to say."

"Just tell me."

"Donna, I asked Jackie to marry me yesterday morning," he finally said.

She looked at him in shock. "You're going to marry Jackie? As in, bride and groom, the whole wedding bit?"

Eric nodded. "My parents gave their blessing last night."

"Well, good luck with that, Eric," she retorted sarcastically. "I'll have to give her tips on how to deal when you leave her at the altar like you did me."

"I'm not going to leave her at the altar, Donna. I will go through with it this time. I know that you probably don't believe that or maybe you're just angry. Jackie wanted to make sure that you heard it from one of us, so that's why I'm here."

"Why isn't _she_ here, Eric?"

"She's next door telling Hyde right now," he explained. "I think he's going to take it way harder than you are. He's still in love with Jackie."

"He's not the only one still in love," she muttered, turning away from Eric to hide her tears.

"What?"

"Nothing, it doesn't matter anymore," she lied.

"Donna…"

"I have to go meet Randy now, so you should probably get going." The tears were evident in her eyes. There would have been a time when he would have reached out to wipe them away, but that wasn't his place anymore. "Congratulations, Eric," she said sadly as she rushed out of the room and up the stairs.

"Thank you," he whispered and walked out the front door, across the driveway and toward the basement door. He stopped outside upon hearing Jackie and Hyde's conversation. Fez was sitting on the bottom stair, bored and waiting for them to finish. "How long have they been in there?"

"Just a few minutes," Fez answered.

"Steven, Eric asked me to marry him yesterday morning. Despite all the reservations and timing issues, my heart knows that this is right. I don't expect you to like it, or even support it, but I am hoping that you will accept it."

"How can I accept the girl I love marrying my best friend?"

"Because it's going to happen," she emphasized. "I am going to marry Eric, he is going to be my husband and the father of my children one day. And as his best friend, I hope that you will be a part of it. But if you can't, if you are just going to be bitter and unsupportive, you need to stay away."

"What am I supposed to say to that?"

"You don't have to say anything. You know what I came here to tell you," she said with a note of finality in her voice. "I'm going to find my fiancée now."

As she hurried out the back door, she ran smack into Eric's waiting arms. Fez slid past them into the basement, shutting the door behind him to give them some privacy.

"Well, I told him," she whispered as she buried her face in his chest. His familiar scent filled her nostrils, driving her senses wild.

"And I told her."

"He's angry."

"She cried."

"But it's done."

"And we're getting married."

"I couldn't be happier."

"And I couldn't be more in love."


	15. Chapter 15

Time passed quickly for Jackie and Eric over the next few weeks. Their past experiences had taught them that timing was everything, and neither of them felt they had a day to spare. Both of them ready to be husband and wife, despite all the critics and cynics.

Breaking the news to the rest of the gang had proved uneventful. Kelso had taken it all in stride, other than the odd joke that he would always be there to "comfort" her. Fez had giggled like a girl, begging to be part of the wedding party and later cried like a baby when he realized that he would be left without a roommate. Randy had tried to be supportive, especially for Donna's sake. She was doing fairly well with everything, but she had her moments when it was especially difficult. Jackie had asked her to be the maid of honor, and she had finally accepted. Although it was harder than anything she had ever known, she knew that she would regret it otherwise someday.

Hyde was an entirely different situation, on the other hand. He was barely speaking to anyone in the group, let alone either one of them. Samantha had left him last week, citing his constant obsession with Jackie as the reason. The truth was, he had never loved her, and since Jackie showed up with Eric, he had barely paid attention to her. Other than to ask her to move her stuff out of his way when he watched television, he hadn't even spoken to her in days before her departure. In fact, the only person he was speaking to was Kitty, and that was because she made him.

"I don't know, Mrs. Foreman. I don't think Eric and Jackie really want me there," he said, pretending to sulk. The fact was, he wanted her to force him into coming so that he could object and hopefully stop the relationship he believed was doomed to fail.

"You are one of their best friends, of course they want you there," she coddled. "Besides, you're family, so you're coming. Don't argue with me!"

"Okay, for you, I'll come."

Jackie was standing outside the kitchen door just inside the living room as the conversation went down between Kitty and Hyde. Eric came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and surprising her.

"Hey, beautiful."

"Sshh! Hyde is in there talking to your mom, and I think he's up to something."

"Who cares? It's not like he is going to stop this wedding."

She smiled. "You're right, I just don't want him to ruin this day for us."

"He can only ruin something if we give him the power to do it. I promise you that I won't let that happen. I want this day to be perfect for you. I know how much it means to you, and I hope that you know how much it has come to mean to me."

"Aw, ya big softy. Do you really mean that?"

"Mmhmm," he murmured as he leaned down to kiss her. Deepening the kiss, he pressed her against the wall until they were lost in the moment.

"Get a room," Hyde muttered as he walked by.

"Good idea, Steven. Eric, let's go upstairs," Jackie remarked hotly, grabbing Eric's hand and pulling him toward the steps. Partly to get back to Hyde and partly because she wanted to, she soon found herself underneath Eric in his bedroom.

"Okay, we have to stop," Eric said finally.

"What, no," she begged.

"We're not doing this, not now. Not to get back at Hyde and not this close to the wedding."

"Are you kidding me? You did that with Donna, and you barely made it."

"That's not what I meant," he muttered, now angry. "J, I don't want this to have any element of revenge to it any more. If we're going to do this, and we're going to do it for real, we need to make sure it's about us."

"It is about us, Eric. The phone conversations, Africa, the engagement…everything I have done since I found you has been about us. Believe me."

"I do believe you, baby," he said, gathering his crying girlfriend in his arms. "I just don't want you to marry me to get back at someone. I want to know that you are doing this because you are in love with me and you can't imagine another day in your life without me in it. Because that's how I feel, every single second of every single day."

"It is," she repeated over and over again as he rocked her in his arms. Finally, she calmed down and pulled back to look into his shining eyes. "Let's do it tonight. Let's fly to Vegas, we could be married before the sun rises."

"My parents would kill me. You'd make Kitty cry, and I don't want to push Red. He's been supportive to this point, but if I do this without thinking it out, he really will put a boot in my ass. It's so unlike him to be so okay with the situation already, I don't want to push it."

"I thought this was about us," she countered.

"It is, and it's important to me that we do this right. I want my parents there. I want to stand before God and everyone we know and let them see just how in love with each other we are. I want them to see us devote our lives to each other."

"You always did love an audience," she teased.

"You're one to talk, cheerleader," he taunted. "Besides, I'd hate to see that beautiful dress go to waste."

"Okay, so, in exactly seven days, meet you at the altar?"

"Trust me, I wouldn't miss it for the world."


	16. Chapter 16

Hyde looked through the big glass window of the booth and smiled at the tall blonde seated behind a microphone. Tapping lightly on the smooth surface, he waited for her to motion him in.

"Hey," Donna said brightly, surprised to see him. Though they had been friends for years, this was the first time Hyde can come to see her at the radio station.

"Hey, Donna," Hyde replied nervously. Sitting awkwardly on a stool, he waited in silence as she introduced a string of songs and put on the next record.

"What brings you by?"

"Well, I've kinda gotta plan."

"A plan?" she asked, raising her eyebrow skeptically. "This isn't like one of your plots to take down the government or to build a car that runs on water, is it?"

He laughed and shook his head. "It's a plan to take down the wedding."

Across town, Eric pretended to look interested as Kitty and Jackie discussed flower arrangements, caterers and bands. Actually, glancing at his fiancée, he realized that he was not the only one struggling to stay awake as his mother relentlessly flipped through menus at the kitchen table. Finally, he had had enough.

"Mom, we've been going at this for hours. Jackie already made her choice, why are we still doing this?"

"Eric, after what you pulled the last time, we need to make sure that people remember this wedding fondly," his mother said. "We need to have two meat selections."

"Kitty, can't we just go with something simple?"

"I'm surprised at you, Jackie. I figured you'd be more into this."

"I've changed a lot. I just want this to be as low-key as possible. I don't care about all these details, I just want to marry your son."

Eric wrapped his arm around her and kissed her softly. "Mom, really, let this be enough. We'll have the chicken, someone from Jackie's country club has arranged the music, and she wants roses."

"Fine," Kitty relented. "We still need a cake."

"Eric and I will take care of that, Mrs. Foreman."

"Well, if you don't need my help…"

"We do, Mom," Eric coddled. "We can't figure out this seating chart. Can you take care of that?"

Kitty bubbled with enthusiasm, happy to still be needed. "You got it," she replied, grabbing the chart and spreading it in front of her.

Eric took it as his cue for them to leave, pulling Jackie toward the basement and out of his mother's sight. It had been far too long since they had been alone. From Red and Kitty to Hyde and Donna, it seemed that someone was always around these days.

"Anyone here?" Eric called as he headed down the staircase. "Anyone?" he repeated again as they made their way across the basement toward the couch. When no one replied, he smiled widely at her. "Alone at last."

She returned his smile. "What to do, what to do?" she pondered, pushing him back onto the couch and crawling on top of him.

"I think this will work," Eric muttered between kisses.

"You think this will work?" Donna asked when Hyde was finished explaining his plan.

"It has to, Donna, it's the only way. Jackie cannot marry Eric, she belongs with me. Don't you think you belong with Foreman?"

"I used to, but not anymore. Maybe we should just give up, maybe they do belong together."

"I love her, Donna. I'm not going to give up. If you don't want to help, I understand. If you can just watch her take your place as Mrs. Eric Foreman, then do it. I can't."

Donna winced at his last comment. She couldn't just let Eric go so easily. Up to now, she really hadn't done anything to fight for him. Sure, she could take the high road and just let them be happy together. But what about her? She had loved Eric when Jackie thought he was just a skinny nerd. Her skinny nerd. "I'm in."


	17. Chapter 17

The day has finally arrived, and Jackie is surprised just how nervous she feels. The entire week, she had felt sure that she was doing the right thing, and that sense of confidence had kept the butterflies out of her stomach. However, as she stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror, she realized that she was trembling. Not because she was scared about marrying Eric, more because she felt like something bad was about to happen.

Beside her, Kitty was busily rearranging her flowing skirt. Eric's mother had sent Donna out of the room so that she could have a few minutes alone with her new daughter. They had both been quiet until now, when Kitty finally stood up and looked Jackie in the eyes. "Jackie, I'm glad that we have this time alone," she said, cupping the raven beauty's face in her hand. "I've never seen Eric so happy. I want to thank you for giving my son that. I am so glad that you are going to be a part of this family, both Red and I are truly happy that we are going to have a new daughter in you."

"Thank you, Kitty," Jackie whispered, a stray tear falling down her smooth cheek.

"But if you hurt my little boy, I will kill you," she said, laughing her trademark giggle.

Across the hall, Red stood behind his son. Adjusting their bow ties in the mirror, Eric caught his father's eye in the reflection. "Dad, I just want to tell you thanks for everything. I know that we've never been close, but I appreciate all that you have done for Jackie and me. It means a lot to us both."

"Of course, you're my son," Red said simply. "I need to tell you something, Eric."

"What?"

"Now, I'm not sure what he has planned exactly, but I think that Steven is up to something."

"He threatened to ruin my marriage to Jackie, so he probably is. But it doesn't matter, nothing is going to take away this day from us. As long as she is up there with me at that altar, I don't care what else happens. She loves me, and there is not a damn thing Hyde can do about."

Meanwhile, in the landing of the staircase, Hyde found Donna waiting, staring out the window. Reservations and guilt had been consuming her for the past 24 hours. As angry and hurt as she was, she still wasn't sure that she could go through with it.

"Hey, it's almost show time," Hyde whispered.

"Hyde, I don't know if we should do this."

"Don't chicken out on me now, Donna. We're almost there. He's almost yours again."

Donna nodded, trying to muster up the courage to make herself do this. "Okay, okay. You're right, we're almost there. I can do this."

"That's right, you can do this."

Red nearly interrupts their conversation when he comes down the hallway toward them, his eyes locking with Donna's. "Donna, it's almost time to begin. Hyde, you should probably go take your seat."

"Okay, Mr. Foreman," Donna replied as Hyde nodded and disappeared down the staircase. She followed him into Jackie's dressing room. In a flawless ivory gown, Jackie took both their breath away. She was absolutely radiant, the perfect bride.

"Well, Donna, what do you think?" she asked, her skirt flaring out as she twirled in a circle.

"You look beautiful," Donna gasped.

"It's almost show time, Jackie, are you ready?"

She nodded at Red, who weaved his arm through hers. With her father still in prison, she'd had no one to walk her down the aisle. In an unusual showing of emotional attachment, Red had immediately volunteered to serve as her escort. Kitty had cried.

"I've never been so ready for anything in my entire life."

She could hear the sound of violins as she walked toward the back of the church. Staring down the aisle, she could see Eric standing there, smiling back at her. From behind her veil, she smiled and squeezed Red's hand.

Donna started toward the front of the church before her. Looking forward, she could see Eric waiting patiently in front of the preacher. Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried to imagine what it would have been like to do this with him a few years ago. Opening them again, she looked at Eric, expecting to see him staring at her. Instead, he was looking past her, his eyes locked on the beautiful bride waiting for her cue.

Finally at the front of the church, she stepped into her position on the far left and turned to the back as the opening chords of the Wedding March rang out. Step after step, Red and Jackie walked toward the front of the church. Donna snuck a look at her ex-boyfriend, immediately struck by the utter devotion in his eyes as he watched her. His face lit up when she reached him. Turning back to the preacher as he began his speech, Donna watched Eric turn to Jackie and whisper.

"I love you."


	18. Chapter 18

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witness to join Jacqueline Burkhart and Eric Foreman in matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men and is to not be entered into unadvisedly or lightly but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly," the preacher recited.

Eric looked up at Jackie and smiled as she rubbed his wrist with her thumb. Donna winced in pain as she watched them in their own private moment, glancing back to catch Hyde's eye. It was nearly the moment of truth, and she still wasn't sure what she was going to do.

"Who supports this couple in their marriage?"

"Their mother and I," Red replied, kissing Jackie's cheek and shaking Eric's hand before returning to his seat next to Kitty. Eric's mother was already crying. Red smiled affectionately and wrapped his arm around his wife.

"Into this holy estate, these two persons present now come to be joined," stated the preacher. "If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

That was her cue. Hyde stood up and Donna took a step back from Jackie and Eric. "Jackie, don't do it."

"Are you kidding me, Steven?" she cried, whirling around and staring at him hatefully.

"I was a fool, Jacks. All those years ago when you wanted to marry me, I should have done," he replied as he rushed toward her. Pulling a box out of his coat, he dropped to one knee in front of her. "Marry me right now, be my wife."

Jackie's hand flew to cover her mouth. Next to her, Eric watched the entire situation in shock. Red was on his feet, but Kitty pressed him back toward the chair. Knowing that this was Eric's situation to take care of, she wanted to keep everyone else away.

"Where was this last year, Steven? You can't just have me now because you want me. It's too late."

"It's not too late, you're not married yet. We could do this now, I could make you happy for the rest of your life."

Eric started to interject but Jackie looked at him and shook her head. "No, Steven. No."

"Jacks, please."

Jackie shook her head. "No."

Hyde looked up at Donna for help. She shook her head, indicating that she was backing out. She was supposed to try to get to Eric in the same way that he was trying to get to Jackie, but in that moment, she knew that it was all a mistake. For the first time since this whole fiasco began, she felt like this was exactly was supposed to be happening.

Hyde started to reach for Jackie's arm in one last desperate plea, but this time, she allowed Eric to intercept. Eric threw his former friend's arm away in disgust. "Stop it, man. She is marrying me. Just stop."

Kelso finally stepped out from beside Eric. In a last minute request, Eric had asked his other oldest friend to stand by his side. "Let's get you out of here."

Hyde whipped around. "I can do this myself," he muttered as he walked coolly toward the back of the church. Turning around, he expected to see Jackie watching him sadly as he slunk away. Instead, she was smiling up at Eric as they turned back to the ceremony. He had tried everything to stop them, but in the end, Jackie and Eric had been right. Nothing could take away this moment from them.


	19. Chapter 19

"Eric, I never liked you. It's no secret, I never really saw much in you other than a skinny nerd with a car and a musty basement. And then one day, when I had nothing, you gave me everything. For the rest of my life, I will spend every single moment of my life trying to find a way to give you half of that."

"J, you're right, we never liked each other, and anyone who knew either of us knew it. You were the devil, just a loud cheerleader who somehow managed to weave her way into the fabric of the group. Thinking back, I guess I should thank Kelso because without him, I probably wouldn't be here."

"Yeah!" Kelso yelled excitedly as Jackie and Eric both gave him a disapproving look.

"In all of my life, I never thought that you would be the one that I wanted to spend my life with, but standing here right now, I can't imagine being with anyone else."

"With this ring, I thee wed," Jackie recited.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Eric repeated.

"By the powers vested in me, and by the state of Wisconsin, I know pronounce you husband and wife. Eric, you may kiss your bride."

Eric turned to his new wife and smiled. She laughed at the way his face lit up before he kissed her. Lost in the moment, he deepens the kiss before jokingly dipping her back in a cheesy Hollywood kiss.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Foreman."

Running down the aisle, they head to back of the church. Picking her up by her slender waist, he captures her bottom lip in his and kisses her more deeply before. "See, no one took this away from us."

FIN


End file.
